Judge says Trump's DOJ fired Maurene Comey without a valid reason

A federal judge on Monday ordered the Trump administration to pay Maurene Comey $120,000 in back pay, ruling her firing from the Department of Justice was illegal. US District Judge Jesse Furman determined that the executive branch overstepped its authority by dismissing an "inferior officer" without cause, a move that contradicted protections established by Congress.

Furman wrote that accepting the administration's argument would disrupt the constitutional balance of power. He noted that the Trump team created a new, expansive theory of executive power to remove employees who had long held removal protections. "Defendants invented a new and expansive theory of executive power," the judge stated.

Comey, an assistant US attorney based in Manhattan since 2015, was fired on July 16, 2025. She had previously prosecuted high-profile cases, including those involving Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Sean "Diddy" Combs. Her legal team argued her termination was driven by Trump's animosity toward her father, former FBI Director James Comey.

James Comey, who served as FBI director from 2013 to 2017, was fired during Trump's first term. Since returning to office, Trump has sought to reduce the federal government's size and remove prosecutors involved in cases he disputes. He has also pushed for the prosecution of critics, including his former FBI boss.

In September 2025, Trump posted on social media urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to charge James Comey. "There is a GREAT CASE," Trump wrote. "JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!" Shortly after, the DOJ charged James Comey with lying to Congress, but a judge dismissed the case in November because the prosecutor was unlawfully appointed.

In April, a separate case was filed against James Comey alleging he threatened Trump by posting an image of seashells arranged to spell "86 47." The administration argued the numbers referenced organized crime and Trump's presidency. The ex-FBI chief has called the case political persecution.

The Trump administration responded to Monday's ruling by stating it disagrees with the decision and will appeal. The ruling grants Comey retroactive reinstatement from the date of her firing through December.